A Delaware Appeals Court has refreshed our collective memory on last year’s protracted proxy fight between Barnes & Noble and billionaire Ron Burkle thanks to its ruling yesterday that the poison pill measure, which limits stockholders to 20 percent or less of total company stock, should still be allowed to stand. AP The libel case author Karin Calvo-Goller brought against NYU Law School professor Joseph H.H. Weiler for publishing a negative review of her book has been dismissed by a French court, which said “the review expressed a scientific opinion of the book and did not go beyond the kind […]
Goldman Tops April Indie Next List
No. 1: Say Her Name: A Novel, by Francisco Goldman Fire Season: Field Notes From a Wilderness Lookout, by Philip Connors Please Look After Mom: A Novel, by Kyung-Sook Shin and Chi-Young Kim Galore: A Novel, by Michael Crummey The Trinity Six, by Charles Cumming The School of Night: A Novel, by Louis Bayard Night Road: A Novel, by Kristin Hannah Deep Future: The Next 100,000 Years of Life on Earth, by Curt Stager A Lesson in Secrets: A Maisie Dobbs Novel, by Jacqueline Winspear A Covert Affair: The Adventures of Julia Child and Paul Child in the OSS, by […]
Crown Retires Doubleday Religion, Plus More People News
The Crown Publishing Group is retiring Doubleday Religion as an imprint, and will publish all Catholic-interest titles under the existing Image Books imprint (established in 1954). Trace Murphy continues as editor-in-chief of Image (and will still acquire for Harmony as well), now reporting to Steve Cobb, whose title modified to president and publisher of Waterbrook Multnomah and Image Books. Image’s editorial, art and production staff will remain in New York, but marketing, publicity, and sales administration will be run out of the Colorado Springs office under associate publisher Carie Freimuth. Crown deputy publisher Michael Palgon writes in an internal memo […]
Upcoming: Stephen King’s ’11/22/63′; George RR Martin’s Next Game of Thrones Novel; Billy Joel’s Memoir
Stephen King‘s next novel 11/22/63, a 1000-page book “counterfactual” account of the JFK assassination, will be published by Scribner and Hodder & Stoughton on November 8. Announcement The next installment of George RR Martin’s Song of Ice & Fire epic fantasy series will be released by Del Rey/Spectra on July 12. A Dance with Dragons is “close enough to being finished” and comes six years after the previous series entry. EW Finally, HarperCollins will publish Billy Joel’s memoir State of Mind on June 14. The book will explore the “emotional ride” of Joel’s marriages and his struggles with depression and substance abuse.
Variations on a Theme of Bankruptcy: Borders, REDGroup, Nebraska Book and More
A hearing has been scheduled for March 15 on Borders‘ request that the judge overseeing bankruptcy proceedings take more time to decide what the company should do about outstanding lease agreements. Debtors are typically allowed 120 days under the bankruptcy code, but can ask for a 90-day extension for a total of 210 days. Borders, however, has asked to have until January 12, 2012 to deal with leases. Freep REDGroup Retail will close 38 of its 260 bookstores in Australia and New Zealand as part of its recently filed bankruptcy agreement. Of those stores, 37 were Angus & Robertson shops […]
People, Awards, and Announcements
Kensington Books founder and chairman emeritus Walter Zacharius died Wednesday at the age of 87. He was also the author of the 2005 novel The Memories We Keep, publishing when he was 81. Agent Richard Curtis writes: “His career paralleled and exemplified the rise of the great postwar paperback industry, and his genius shaped his company into a major force in the industry. Yet, even at an advanced age, he recognized the significance of digital technology and inspired his company to forge into the new era.” Obit At Simon & Schuster, Doug Stambaugh has been promoted to vp, business development […]